In the fall of 2019, the Brunswick School Department enthusiastically launched its initial public pre-K classroom. The first matter of business after hiring an amazing early intervention teacher was the decision about curriculum. Founding pre-K teacher Brigitta Valente recalled, “We feel strongly about how play offers authentic opportunities for learning for all children but especially young children. There are so many layers to the skills that are developed in play. From curiosity to social and emotional development, problem-solving to critical thinking, play builds and extends countless foundational aspects of learning. This is why pre-K for ME appealed to us so much. Play is central and prioritized.”

That first year of pre-K for ME set the stage in Brunswick for years to come. As the pre-K program expanded from that one classroom, tucked into a cute mobile unit in the school’s front yard, to four pre-K classrooms and then two more community partner classrooms, the school department continued to use the pre-K for ME program. Community partners Family Focus and Midcoast Maine Community Action Head Start were already using pre-K for ME at their agencies, so it was a smooth transition for Brunswick to do so. Soon, the success of Brunswick’s pre-K program started getting the attention of other staff in the school.

Kindergarten teacher Erin Lemont shared, “We quickly learned that K for ME is designed to offer young learners a flexible, interactive, and engaging way to explore foundational concepts. K for ME allows children to experience learning through exploration, hands-on activities, and social interaction, which helps them make deeper connections to what they’re discovering.”

Another Kindergarten teacher Charity Kaiser explained, “When I heard about K for ME, it was the first program I had encountered that truly embraced the importance of play, student choice, and the development of interpersonal skills. Having a comprehensive academic curriculum built around these foundational elements aligned perfectly with what I had come to value as essential for meaningful learning.”

So began the growth of K for ME in at the Brunswick School Department.

The first year of the pandemic was especially strange for Brunswick. Amidst social distancing and contact tracing, staff and students moved into the brand-new Kate Furbish Elementary School building, absorbed an additional grade level, and grew student population by more than 200. Principal Annie Young said she and her staff quickly realized that they needed a new approach with a school of more than 600 four- to eight-year-olds – especially after so many disruptions to students’ early years because of Covid-19.

“We noticed so many changes in our students as they came to our school – their deficits in social, emotional, communication, fine, and gross motor skills were drastic,” Young explained.

Fortunately, there were a number of highly-qualified early childhood educators working at the large pre-K through grade 2 school.

“Our staff is well-experienced in the pedagogy of working with young students. Not only are they highly-skilled; they are also passionate about the diverse needs of this age group,” Young shared.

Together, the staff of Kate Furbish began to build a “portrait of a graduate.” Qualities like intentional social-skill instruction and practice, emotional regulation work, play-based instruction, and communication rose to the top of their priority list. Finding a way to embed this work into the daily life of the school was already happening in their pre-K and K for ME classrooms. This thriving success inspired Principal Young to make the big leap of adopting both 1st and 2nd for ME programs. Coining it “Together for ME” this school year, Kate Furbish became the first school in the state to adopt pre-K, K, 1st, and 2nd for ME across the entire school – all 34 general education and six special education classrooms.

“I felt confident about this bold move,”  Young said. “Our pre-K and kindergarten classrooms and staff were already seeing the positive impact of this program, so it was a clear path to adopt it school-wide.”

Besides being student-centered, this program is engaging and includes lots of intentional play and social-emotional skill building. Through Together for ME, staff and students see the powerful connections between classrooms, across grade levels, and throughout the school. There’s increased accessibility and reinforcement of Brunswick’s focus on belonging in this school-wide program. Students, including those in special education and English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, are finding more ways to access their general education settings than before. Together, Kate Furbish staff members are committed to continuing to grow in their understanding and use of this work.

The Brunswick School Department provided this article. To submit good news to the Maine DOE, fill out the Good News Submission form.

Please visit the Maine DOE website to learn more about the state’s instructional programs, such as pre-K for ME, K for ME, 1st for ME, and 2nd for ME.